Stevia v Xylitol

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NSMustanggirl
NSMustanggirl Posts: 70 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I just tried Stevia for the first time and really don't like it! Tastes too much like aspartame! BLECH! Read on one site that xylitol may be a better option as a natural sweetener and perhaps more like real sugar? Any thoughts??

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  • Alexandra289
    Alexandra289 Posts: 330 Member
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    I've been using xylitol. I like it but don't use huge amounts- a small teaspoon to sweeten porridge, cocoa or yoghurt. It's much sweeter than sugar but tastes similar I think.
  • dlg1467
    dlg1467 Posts: 68 Member
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    I can't stand the taste of Stevia, and I find that Xylitol has no taste.
  • thisismeraw
    thisismeraw Posts: 1,264 Member
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    Don't always believe what you read online. Natural doesn't always mean better.

    Many people have issues with xylitol. If you don't, use that.

    Use any sweetener you like.
  • mahanaibu
    mahanaibu Posts: 505 Member
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    I hated Stevia; have been having good luck with Truvia, made from the sweetest part of the stevia plant and also mixed with a sugar alcohol. But I don't use a lot of it, only occasionally. There have been some issues found with possible bloating etc.
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
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    Why are you using artificial sweeteners? If it's in tea or coffee, a tsp of sugar is only 15 calories. Personally, I don't like any artificial sweeteners, but I can put up with xylitol in Trident.
  • NSMustanggirl
    NSMustanggirl Posts: 70 Member
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    I wanted an option for baking... Stevia definitely not it!
  • Charlottesometimes23
    Charlottesometimes23 Posts: 687 Member
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    The body doesn't absorb xylitol well so it can give you diarrhoea (and gas!). It's basically trial and error to figure out how much is too much.

    I agree that stevia has an unusual taste. I use something that we have in Australia called Smart Sugar. It's cane sugar supplemented with stevia so that it's twice as sweet yet still tastes like sugar. If the xylitol causes problems, perhaps you could halve the sugar and supplement with stevia to see how the taste goes.
  • TheBaileyHunter
    TheBaileyHunter Posts: 641 Member
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    I wanted an option for baking... Stevia definitely not it!

    I've used stevia in fruit crisps and in place of white sugar if for baking if it has a fruit content, but not for brown. For brown sugar, if not using organic I'll use pure maple syrup and then up the dry ingredients a bit to help with the lack of bulk provided by the sugar.

    Generally I prefer to use organic sugar because at least then I know what I'm getting.

    Stevia pairs well with fruits, but find it too strong for a lot of other things.
  • ckish
    ckish Posts: 358 Member
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    I grow my own stevia plant which tastes much better and I just puree it into the liquid. Works well with muffins and more cake type cookies
  • TheBaileyHunter
    TheBaileyHunter Posts: 641 Member
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    I wish I could grow things. I have a black thumb (and 9 other digits). I do have one plant and I'm always excited every day that it's not dead yet. It looks like Charlie Brown's Christmas tree, but it lives! It's ALIVE!
  • laele75
    laele75 Posts: 283 Member
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    I like Truvia. Sweet n' Low was making my fibro flares worse I found. There's also honey and maple syrup to substitute in baking.
  • Sarcastic_Hate
    Sarcastic_Hate Posts: 6 Member
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    i have never used xylitol, but i do use stevia with my decafe tea everyday i like it :)
  • Nicolee_2014
    Nicolee_2014 Posts: 1,572 Member
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    I was looking at getting Xylitol as I think stevia is disgusting! I can't use equal anymore because I can't stand the taste of that either. I've heard splenda (I think that is what it is) is better. I have cut back on my coffee's which is what I have the sugar for OR if I have weetbix/porridge I need sugar. Other than that I can survive. I can't do without my coffee's though.

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